


A Boy and His Wolf

by Blurredmxnds



Category: Green Creek Series - T.J. Klune
Genre: F/M, Gen, Gordo is still a witch, Joes a lonely pup looking for a pack, M/M, Ox is a lonely boy looking for a friend, Pup Au, Werewolves are obvi still a thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-22
Packaged: 2019-07-12 02:08:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15985328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blurredmxnds/pseuds/Blurredmxnds
Summary: A Pup Au where Joe Bennett shifts early and escapes Richard. While on the run he meets a boy named Oxnard Matheson and decides that maybe humans aren’t so bad and stays and eventually moves back to Green Creek with him.





	1. Chapter 1

Joe was kidnapped as a human. As he was tortured during his time with Richard he ended up shifting because his wolf instincts kicked in. He's stronger in wolf form mentally and a little bit physically. 

One day he was left in the room alone in a shed. All Joe could think about was trying to find a spot where could hide. He ended up moving around a few things with his paws and teeth to find a spot within all the junk laying around. It was a bit difficult with being weak and things bigger than him in this form but he does his best. By moving everything around thats how he found a little hole behind a shelf in the back wall. Was he small enough to fit through it? Probably not but he was going to try his best to fit. 

Digging a bit on the floor, Joe tried to make the hole a bit deeper at the bottom but with the concrete on the inside it wasn't possible. He looked at the hole and just wanted to give up. There was no escaping. There was no help coming. There was no hope.

Joe stared at the hole hopelessly. He howled. He wanted his _packfamilyalpha_ to come save him. So badly everyday he wished for him but no one ever came. His howls broke and he just laid there defeated. What's the point? What's to live for?

Some cursing from outside the shed that got louder with every step is what got Joe getting up again. He thinks, _for me. I survive for me. I'll escape for me. I am alone but I will be free_. 

He pushes his way through the hole trying his best to fit. Scrapping his paws so hard against the concrete half that his claws are leaving marks on the floor. The wood from the walls dig into his sides and he so badly wants to give up but he doesn't. He sees how bright the moon is and pushes through. _I will follow that moon. That moon is my hope_.

Just as he makes it out of the hole in the door of the shed opens. He wastes no time running. He needs this head start. If he hesitates he will die. He runs and runs and runs. He keeps running even though he knows that he lost them. He runs two days straight taking very little breaks to rest.

 

When Joe finally stops to rest longer he can't help but be on his toes alert of all of his surroundings. The small pond that he found looked like heaven from the way the moon reflected off of it. All he wanted to do is wash off and have a drink of water and quickly rest before he takes off again. But he drops before he can even make it into the water.

 

He drags his little body closer to the water just enough so he can drink without lifting his body. Joe feels so refreshed. He really tries not to drink too much because he knows his belly will start hurting but he can't help it. Richard and his men barely gave him any food or water. _Just enough to survive for what I have in stored for you_ , is what Richard told him.

 

Joe whimpers laying there. Feet hurting when all he wants to do is sit in that cool water. The two times he tries though he couldn't stay up long enough on his feet to walk. He laid there longing to go into that pond.

 

The calming noise of the crickets, leaves brushing in the wind, and the flutter of the wings of birds had Joe slowly closing his eyes. He thought, _maybe I can rest. Just for a minute. A minute isn't too long._

 

What should have only been a minute may have been an hour or two. It's darker than it is before. Joe wakes up startled when he hears branches on the ground break and the bushes rustling. 

 

Ignoring the pain of his whole body, Joe stands up defensive and lowly growling at the direction of all the noise. He moves backwards making sure not to bring too much attention to himself so he can escape if need be.

 

What surprises Joe though is the smell. It smelled strongly of pinecones and candy canes. It oddly enough brings him comfort. However, he doesn't let it distract him. He tells himself, _grr face and scary and mean._  He thinks,  _I need to be scary and mean to survive now_.

 

The sound gets closer and Joe is ready to attack. Except he hesitates when he sees the tear stained cheeks of a boy that looks to be older than him if he was in human form. The boy doesn't notice him. To busy rubbing his eyes and muttering how dumb as an ox he is. 

 

Joe tries to continue backing away when he realizes this small boy isn't a threat to him. But the misstep from not looking where he's going leads to a loud crunch from the small pile of leaves he stepped in.

 

The boy quickly rubs his eyes and looks up. A small gasp leaves the boys mouth. He stares at Joe in awe and fear.

 

Instead of running away or at the Joe, the boy sits down. Joe thinks he's crazy. He's a wolf. He should be terrified to be this close to him.

 

The boy however clears his throat and stares at Joe. Joe stops and they stare at each other. Both not making any moves to go to each other or leave. 

 

Joe lays back down. He knows he should run but he's too tired. The fact that there is humans around does not comfort him. He needs to move further. He needs to be isolated.

 

It's at that thought that brings him to a whimper. He has no pack now. No family and  no home. How is he suppose to survive without a pack? Will he turn omega?

 

The dark thoughts have Joe howling at the moon. Not caring at all whether he will be found by Richard and his men. 

 

When he finally stops he noticed the boy is closer. This makes Joe get up in a defensive pose.

 

The boy hushes him and tries to calmly reassure Joe that he’s not going to hurt him. Promises of help and care do nothing for Joe. He doesn’t believe the boy.

 

_LiesLiesLies_. _Where was his help and care when he was being tortured and held in that dark place?_ Joe lets the darkness of his memories in the shack consume him. When the boy gets too close to Joe’s liking he snaps at him.

 

From the look of the boys hand it seems as though Joes tooth caught the side of it. The boy doesn’t cry though. It's bleeding. At the sight of blood the boy cradles it and tries to stop the bleeding.

 

_Good_ , Joe thinks. _Scary and mean_.

 

The boy starts to walk backwards from the way he came from. Joe lets him. He doesn’t let up his guard. 

 

Before he's fully gone Joe swears he hears a faint promise of coming back to help and bring food but he doesn't worry about it. He won't be here tomorrow because he needs to leave before they find him. He needs to keep going.

 

When the boy is out of sight, Joe lays back down closer to the pond. He tries to drown out the dark memories still lingering but it's no use. Those memories are a part of him now. It’s at the flash of purple in his eyes reflected off the pond that Joe lets out another howl.

 

_AloneOmegaLost_ are Joe’s lasts thoughts before he sleeps for the night.


	2. Chapter 2

When Joe wakes up the next day, the sun is at its highest peak. He realizes he should have been two towns over by now. It makes his stomach drop to know that he’s wasted so much time resting.

Richard and his men could have caught up by now. They could have taken him in his sleep. The night before, he was too weak and injured to hide so he had been in plain sight for hours. It would have been easy for them to find him.

It doesn’t help that being in his wolf form is something new to him. He’s never known or heard of anyone who has shifted this young before. That makes it even scarier to be in this form. He doesn’t know how to control his emotions and keep calm as a wolf so he wonders if he accidentally quickened the pace of him becoming an omega. How long will it be until he loses himself without a pack to help him remember his human side?

After last night, the sight of his own eyes make him hate his wolf. Joe blames his wolf for turning him omega. He hadn’t needed to shift. Maybe if he had waited just a little longer, he could have been saved.

His pack was going to come for him but his wolf didn’t believe that. It had already given up. It thought that surviving on his own is better, that maybe being an omega is better.

Joe hates this form. He hates these negative thoughts that always cause him to despise who and what he is so he tries not to think about it. He pushes the terrifying thoughts of being found by Richard and his men and of being a lone omega now out of his mind as he attempts to get up and wash off. His legs are wobbly and his paws are aching. His coat is covered in dried blood, dirt, and twigs. 

Seeing his dirty self reflected in the water makes him think of how his mother would have scolded him for getting this dirty. Joe slumps at the thought of his mother. For the past few days, he has been trying not to think about his family. He’s convinced himself that thinking about them only makes his journey harder.

Joe doesn’t know where he’s at or anyone nearby so he needs to keep moving if he hopes to someday find his pack again. He needs to stay strong and live.

As he emerges himself into the pond finally, he feels weighed down because of his coat being soaked. He remains on the shallower sides so he won’t get even more exhausted paddling around and trying to stay afloat.

Joe does his best not to waste more time but the water is just so cool and inviting. He lets himself get lost in the sound of the water moving gently around him as he lies in it. He’s too tired to move around and properly clean himself, but he enjoys this small moment of contentment in a place so peaceful that he doesn’t feel afraid or disturbed. Joe wishes it could stay like this forever, but he knows it can’t.

The water becomes too relaxing, so before Joe can fall asleep in the pond he dives completely in the water. When he comes back up, he feels more awake than ever. He sits and crawls around a bit before getting out to look for food.

When it finally comes time for Joe to hunt, he quickly learns that it is not his forte. Hunting for the first time by himself is difficult, especially as a newly shifted wolf who hasn’t been taught how to hunt or be a predator yet. What makes it even tougher for him is that his lack of knowledge of this area or the animals that inhabit it.

At first, Joe thinks that things are really looking up, but he soon realizes he is sadly mistaken. His stature as a wolf doesn’t come across as intimidating or threatening, but at least one thing that works to his advantage is his speed. He runs for what feels like forever and comes so close to catching a rabbit, but then his aching paws give up and he realizes that running so hard had not been a good idea.

Eventually, Joe makes his way back to the pond with his head down and his tail tucked between his legs at the failed attempt of hunting. He is tired and hungry as he lies down by the pond. While he stays in the same spot, the sun slowly moves lower in the sky and all he can think about is how the day is wasting away.

His emotions are battling each other in his head and Joe is conflicted about whether he should stay longer to rest and heal or run and hide to survive. His body’s protest against moving anymore gets him to stay another night.

Joe finds his spot by the pond again like the night before and lies down. The changes of the color in the sky remind him of his mother's paintings and he is so distracted by his memories that he doesn’t hear the bushes moving.

He finally realizes he’s not alone when a breeze in the air carries the scent of pinecones and candy canes around him. Joe hops up quickly and faces the way the smell came from. When he sees the little boy there from yesterday, Joe immediately crouches down defensively and growls.

To his surprise, the boy sits down a distance away just like last time. He looks the same with the exception of a backpack and his hand wrapped in a bandage. Seeing his hand wrapped up makes Joe preen a bit, knowing he can defend himself from him if need be.

Though the boy’s presence brings Joe some sort of comfort, he doesn’t let it distract him like before either. He doesn’t know who this boy is so he cannot trust him so easily. The boy keeps his distance from Joe and watches him too, just as wearily. He is probably worried about being attacked again.

The silence is broken once the boy takes his backpack off and puts it in his lap. Joe is curious when the boy keeps digging around until his face lights up and he pulls out a plastic baggy. Joe scoots a little closer to get a better look at what's in the baggy, but the boy doesn’t acknowledge it.

When the bag is open, the smell of a ham sandwich wafts through the air. It makes Joe’s stomach grumble in hunger. He feels embarrassed that his body is exposing how hungry he is. The boy looks up and smiles. The smile doesn’t bring Joe any discomfort like Richard’s did. 

The boy pulls the sandwich out and tears it in two. He takes one half and holds it in his mouth while he stretches his hand out as if he’s offering the other to Joe. Joe tilts his head confused as to what the boy is doing. 

But the faint memory of the boy’s quiet promise to come back and with food rings through his head. Joe so badly wants to reach out for the food but he doesn’t. Richard used to do the same thing to him. He would offer Joe food but take it back immediately. Joe doesn’t want to be tricked so he moves a bit back again.

The boy’s shoulders slump at the rejection. Instead of hitting or yelling at Joe, he gets up a bit and makes his way to him. Joe growls at the boy being insistent and not knowing when to back down, but then he doesn’t move all the way to Joe. The boy makes it halfway and sets the sandwich down before he goes back to his spot on the dirt.

He continues to munch happily on his sandwich in silence without looking at or bothering Joe and Joe struggles not to run for the sandwich. The breeze makes it more difficult because of how good the sandwich smells.   
  
After what seems like forever, Joe lifts himself up and makes his way to it. Joe watches the boy cautiously with each step closer. The boy watches back, but makes no move himself. Joe quickly grabs the sandwich and heads back to his spot before the boy can run to it and change his mind. 

Joe eats it messily and quickly. Once he finishes his share, he dramatically licks up his face to make sure that none of it goes to waste.

The boy lets out a quiet giggle at him. The noise sounds so nice to Joe's ears. 

The boy says in a soft voice, “My momma made the sandwich. She’s really good at making food.”

There's so much pride that it makes Joe feel warm at the mention of family for once.

“I’m Ox,” he continues as if he believes Joe can actually understand him. 

Joe can tell Ox doesn’t talk too often by the way his voice shakes every now and then as if he’s nervous. It’s endearing and saddening. Ox stops a lot of his sentences early like he is unsure whether he should continue talking or not. 

Eventually, he says one or two more things before he gives up and just sits in Joe’s company. Joe’s emotions are at bay and he feels just as content in the silence and presence of Ox. 

When Ox finally says that it’s getting late and he should be heading back home now, Joe lets out an involuntary whine. The boy looks surprised.

Ox says, “I’ll be back tomorrow. I promise.”

Joe watches the boy leave again and can’t wait for tomorrow to be here already. 

For the rest of the night all Joe thinks is  _ tomorrowtomorrowtomorrow _ . Not even thoughts of Richard and his men can invade his thoughts and dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my favorite person @palmettofoxden for editing this and encouraging me throughout this chapter. You're the best babes.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for taking your time to read my fic! I enjoy this au so much and couldn't wait to post it. Let me know what you think!


End file.
